A woman will front court today charged over a wild three-day crime spree, which ended in dramatic scenes when an officer had to paddle out on a surfboard in the Tweed River.
The 24-year-old is accused of stealing a Volkswagen Amarok after breaking into a home at Chinderah on Wednesday, before using the vehicle to steal fuel from a petrol station at Mullumbimby.
Police attempted to stop the Amarok after spotting it in Brunswick Heads the following day, but the pursuit was terminated due to safety concerns.
On Saturday, two further police pursuits were initiated in the Tweed Heads area.
“In the second pursuit, police pursued the Amarok from Tweed Heads to Murwillumbah, where the driver of the Amarok collided with a Hyundai Imax being driven in the opposite direction along Tumbulgum Road,” NSW Police said.
The driver of the Hyundai, a 45-year-old woman, had to be rescued from the wreckage of her vehicle after becoming trapped in the collision.
She was then treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to the Gold Coast University hospital with a fractured elbow and abrasions.
The driver of the Amarok allegedly fled the scene on foot, jumping into the Tweed River at Tyalgah in a bid to escape police.
However, a Sergeant commandeered a surfboard and paddled some 500 metres along the river and arrested the 24-year-old woman.
She was taken to Tweed Heads Police Station and charged with two outstanding warrants along with a string of other offences including aggravated break and enter and steal motor vehicle.
The woman appeared in Lismore Local Court on Sunday, where her bail was formally refused.
She will front Tweed Heads Local Court today.
